For their second album, British neo-prog pioneers Marillion trimmed a bit of the musical fat from their sound. Though the group still maintained many of the old-school prog trappings that made SCRIPT FOR A JESTER'S TEAR a success, FUGAZI took Marillion towards a more refined vista. Lead singer Fish's lyrics are even more laden with barbed invective aimed at British social conventions, marking him as either a descendent of Ray Davies or a precursor of Jarvis Cocker, depending on one's inclination. There's a greater rhythmic thrust to some of the tracks, and less emphasis on facile instrumental flair. Of course, that's not to say that there's any dearth of impressive musical moments here, as guitarist Steve Rothery's post-Pink Floyd guitar dances around Mark Kelly's kaleidoscopic synthesizer lines. Ultimately less ornate and more aggressive than its predecessor, FUGAZI was a slight step away from Marillion's '70s roots towards a sound more uniquely their own.
